Improvement in car-couplings



'W. W. BURHANS. Carr-Coupling.

No. 197,598. Patented Nov. 27, 1877.

\{VITNESSES lbfi/ENTOR i v I 6& W

' qz O ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

WILLIAM W. BURHANS, OF DURHAM, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,598, dated November27, 1877; application filed October 27,1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. BURHANS, of Durham, in the county ofGreene and State .of New York, have invented a new and valuableImprovement in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the construction andoperation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon.

square form and shouldered near the upper end, so as to rest on top ofthe draw-head. The lower end of the coupling-pin C is slotted from therear, and in the said slot is pivoted a small pin, 0, which hangs downin the center of the chamber a, and its lower end rests against ashoulder, b, in the bottom oi said chamber.

, In coupling two cars, the coupling-link is held in one draw-head, andas it enters the other draw-head it strikes the pin 0, which then turnsbackward until the end of the link can pass the same, when said pindrops down within the link, thus completing the coupling of the cars.

In the head or upper end of the couplingp1n G is connected the end of alever, D, which 1s plvoted in the upper end of a post or standard, E,secured on top of the draw-head. This lever is actuated by a spring, d,to throw the lever is depressed for raising the coupling-pin,

a notched lever or latch, G, drops down and catches on said angularportion of the lever D, holding the same in such position and thecoupling-pin raised. The latch G is pivoted in a slot in the top of thedraw-head, and its lower end passes into the chamber a, where it is bentin such a form as to lie in the path of the link II when the same isforced into the draw-head. Thelower end of the l tch is then pressedback by the coupling-link, so as to lease the upper notched end from thelever l), and the spring (I at once throws down the coupling-pin forcoupling the cars.

The concave face B causes the links on different height of cars .to beconducted to the opening and coupled without the aid of any of thetrain-men.

Within the chamber a of the draw-head are placed two flat springs, h h,diagonally across the link opening, whereby the link, when pushed in, isheld in nearly a horizontal position, and the coupling made morecertain.

The upper part G of the jointed couplingpin is above described as beingsquare; but it may equally as well be made round.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with a coupling-pin, of the

